While I now use Nitto NT-01s as my dedicated track tires, I used to drive on Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec for autocrossing and track. They are by far the best non R-compound tires I have own. They are phenomenal.

The arrival of a replacement tire from Dunlop that's allegedly even better is pretty exciting.

OneHotLap.com has an article about the new Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec. Check it out!

I just noticed that Tire Rack was closing out the Z1 v1. A great tire but they did get greasy after 15 min. What originally attracted me to the Star Specs was the price which was significantly lower than other tires in its class yet performed as well. As they got more popular, the prices kept creeping up. Which was fine until the Hankook RS3s came along. The RS3 are superior in dry grip and lasted longer although you did give up the ability to run them in sustained sub-50's temps and required a warm up period.

Nonetheless, I will be keeping a close eye on this new offering from Dunlop!

I have the same complaint about the name. Direzza Z1 Sport Star Specs? Now we have to add a "II" to the end? Really?

New 19" sizes and the 285/30/18 should be great for you guys! This should be a worthy Hankook RS3 contender with hopefully better than RS3 wet performance. The original Star Spec had amazing wet weather performance. A 1.3% improvement per lap is definitely substantial. These will be great for Auto X!

Yeah, that's a huge gain! Called the Tirerack today BTW, they are saying if production goes according to plan, they will have them by the end of January. Mid-February is more of a conservative guess. And if you call right now at least, their prices on the new ZII are lower than the Z1 prices. Maybe they have so few of the Z1s left, they figure people who need replacement tires will pay extra for them

Would be nice to have a taller, wider rear size available, like a 295/35-18 or 305 at >=26" tall. The 285/30-18 is a perfect front tire but the car needs more in the rear IMO, to utilize all of the available space and add forward traction, you can tune around a narrower rear but that's just taking grip away from the front that you could otherwise be using, IMO

Don't get too froggy yet, either. Bridgestone,Kumho and possibly/probably BFG and Hankook all have new ones coming, and the Yoks are getting old too.

Would be nice to have a taller, wider rear size available, like a 295/35-18 or 305 at >=26" tall. The 285/30-18 is a perfect front tire but the car needs more in the rear IMO, to utilize all of the available space and add forward traction, you can tune around a narrower rear but that's just taking grip away from the front that you could otherwise be using, IMO

Don't get too froggy yet, either. Bridgestone,Kumho and possibly/probably BFG and Hankook all have new ones coming, and the Yoks are getting old too.

I know the Dunlops are a favorite of Chump Car guys because its 180 treadwear. Most others are lower. I think in the end the Dunlop will be inferior to the new offerings in the same category as it is now. No offense. Hankook will probably be last because they'll just reverse engineer the new techonology from Bridgestone, Michelin or some other brand.

In the end, I think the pecking order will be the same. The biggest wild card being Hankook...can they continue with their success? I think it was by accident that the RS3s are so popular. I have never seen an instance where a South Korean car company was innovative.

I know the Dunlops are a favorite of Chump Car guys because its 180 treadwear. Most others are lower. I think in the end the Dunlop will be inferior to the new offerings in the same category as it is now. No offense. Hankook will probably be last because they'll just reverse engineer the new techonology from Bridgestone, Michelin or some other brand.

In the end, I think the pecking order will be the same. The biggest wild card being Hankook...can they continue with their success? I think it was by accident that the RS3s are so popular. I have never seen an instance where a South Korean car company was innovative.

Most of the Dunlop Star Spec sizes are 200 UTQG, most of the Bridgestone RE11s are 180, and most of the Hankook RS3s are 140. UTQG doesn't really mean much when comparing between brands however. It was intended to be the case originally, but manufacturers have skewed the numbers.

I don't really consider they RS3s being innovative. They aren't good in wet. They don't last a long time. They are just fast. Fast in the autox, fast on the track. I hate the soft sidewalls they have. Most all of our customers that track their cars, get accelerated tire wear on the outside shoulder, even on cars that have dual wishbone suspensions with lots of camber. The compound is closer to an RComp than a true street tire.

Now, if they could make them Fast, Durable, with a stiff sidewall and good in the wet, we'd have a winner.

To date, the Star Spec and the Bridgestone RE11 win in the all around departments - fast, wet, good sideway, durable - in my opinion. Funny, cause the successors to both are being released next spring. Can't wait.

Most of the Dunlop Star Spec sizes are 200 UTQG, most of the Bridgestone RE11s are 180, and most of the Hankook RS3s are 140. UTQG doesn't really mean much when comparing between brands however. It was intended to be the case originally, but manufacturers have skewed the numbers.

I don't really consider they RS3s being innovative. They aren't good in wet. They don't last a long time. They are just fast. Fast in the autox, fast on the track. I hate the soft sidewalls they have. Most all of our customers that track their cars, get accelerated tire wear on the outside shoulder, even on cars that have dual wishbone suspensions with lots of camber. The compound is closer to an RComp than a true street tire.

Now, if they could make them Fast, Durable, with a stiff sidewall and good in the wet, we'd have a winner.

To date, the Star Spec and the Bridgestone RE11 win in the all around departments - fast, wet, good sideway, durable - in my opinion. Funny, cause the successors to both are being released next spring. Can't wait.

My talk about the UTOQ is based on usage by certain racing series.

I totally disagree, I've used both the star specs and the RS3s and the RS3s are FAR superior in the dry for grip AND wear. I JUST took of star specs on my E90 M3 and put on RS3s. It is a significant dry grip improvement from exiting the grid to coming off the track 30 minutes later. I think RS3s are good for 1-2 seconds a lap of the Z1s.

I could take a set of SSZ1s down to the wear bars in 3 weekends. I've gotten 50 session out of one set of RS3s and then 39 sessions on the next (lots of sliding on those). The Z1s get greasy when driven hard for about 15 minutes. They fall off but stay there and never get bad. The RS3s have only gotten greasy when they were on the last couple of sessions in 90+ degree heat being driven pretty hard.

Wet traction? The Z1s may have an advantage, especially when worn down. Cold traction below 50 degrees? Z1s have a significant advantage. The RS3s do need to some heat in them. The RS3s may be quieter to start with as well. Yeah, I do get more sidewall wear with the RS3s but they STILL last longer. Is it because the sidewall is soft or the increased grip?

I agree 100% on not being innovative. As I've said before, I Hankook copied something (RE-11 maybe?) and I think they got lucky this time around. Its like the movie multiplicity with Michael Keaton...you keep making copies, the copies get worse and worse. You WILL see this tire's massive weakness in wet, sub 50 degree conditions.

The RS3 is a tremendous dry, warm weather track tire. Here in TX, you could drive the Star Specs year round, street and track and give up some dry traction on the track.

I agree with everything but the wear. I do know the Star Specs may tend to wear quicker on heavier cars, but on the S2000s and Miatas that we run them on, they outlast the RS3s x2. Ive seen all these tires on a number of cars, and as a generalization, the Star Specs will outlast the RS3s.

Now, on a miata, ive seen the RS3s last 148 autox session and 48 20 minute track sessions over the course of 3k miles - not too shabby. Conversely, I've had Star Specs on my s2000 be tracked for 20 weekends (8-10 sessions each weekend), set a new street RWD track record at Road Atlanta on a set with 4/32 left - sold to a friend immediately after that who got another 7k street miles out of them. I don't think RS3s would have done that. Granted - both chassis are much lighter.

I agree with everything but the wear. I do know the Star Specs may tend to wear quicker on heavier cars, but on the S2000s and Miatas that we run them on, they outlast the RS3s x2. Ive seen all these tires on a number of cars, and as a generalization, the Star Specs will outlast the RS3s.

Now, on a miata, ive seen the RS3s last 148 autox session and 48 20 minute track sessions over the course of 3k miles - not too shabby. Conversely, I've had Star Specs on my s2000 be tracked for 20 weekends (8-10 sessions each weekend), set a new street RWD track record at Road Atlanta on a set with 4/32 left - sold to a friend immediately after that who got another 7k street miles out of them. I don't think RS3s would have done that. Granted - both chassis are much lighter.

Most of my RS3 experience has been on my 3400lb E46. Maybe climate plays a role? My car runs in 100+ degree days. Maybe the RS3s handle extreme heat better. As I compare the cost of the 17" tires models...the RS3s are also $35 cheaper/tire. I notice things like that being a cheap ass. The SS Z1s used to be about the same price as the RS3s but have creeped up in price over the past 4 years much faster than the RS3s.

One thing we can both agree on is that Dunlop definitely needs to fix the ridiculously long name.

I agree with everything but the wear. I do know the Star Specs may tend to wear quicker on heavier cars, but on the S2000s and Miatas that we run them on, they outlast the RS3s x2. Ive seen all these tires on a number of cars, and as a generalization, the Star Specs will outlast the RS3s.

Now, on a miata, ive seen the RS3s last 148 autox session and 48 20 minute track sessions over the course of 3k miles - not too shabby. Conversely, I've had Star Specs on my s2000 be tracked for 20 weekends (8-10 sessions each weekend), set a new street RWD track record at Road Atlanta on a set with 4/32 left - sold to a friend immediately after that who got another 7k street miles out of them. I don't think RS3s would have done that. Granted - both chassis are much lighter.

I get 11k miles with 20 fast track days and that many AX events out of a set with my Z4 M Coupe. Closer to 20k miles on a less powerful car like my E46 325i.

Let me get this straight... You are swapping out parts designed by some of the top engineers in the world because some guys sponsored by a company told you it's "better??" But when you ask the same guy about tracking, "oh no, I have a kid now" or "I just detailed my car." or "i just got new tires."

Yes, they REALLY need to fix the stupid name. Too long and too easy to confust with their other models. Every time I go to Discount Tires for example, they pull up the Direzza D101 which is nothing but hot garbage.

Yes, they REALLY need to fix the stupid name. Too long and too easy to confust with their other models. Every time I go to Discount Tires for example, they pull up the Direzza D101 which is nothing but hot garbage.